The Fruit of the Dead
by Channel D
Summary: On a cold autumn day, Tim, the team, and Abby are confronted by a powerful visitor from long ago who seeks their aid. Do they believe her? Have they any choice? McAbby. 5 chapters in all.  Written for the NFA Arcane Challenge.
1. The Intruder

**The Fruit of the Dead**

By ChannelD

_Written for the __**NFA Operation: Arcane Challenge  
**__Rating_: T  
_Warning:_ small amounts of horror  
_Genre:_ AU, suspense  
_Characters:_ The team but principally Tim, and some characters thought up by great minds long before my time and therefore not OC by me  
_Pairing:_ McAbby

The requirement of this challenge: "is to write something...well...strange.  
preferably supernatural (vampires, werewolves, witches etc.), mythical or generally just laugh-out-loud"

- - - - -

_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing of NCIS (but I wish I did).

- - - - -

_Mid November, 2007_

"Papaya today." Ziva opened her small thermal lunch container after she'd shrugged out of her coat in the squad room. Of course, since they'd been nattering on breakfast issues all week, in these brief minutes at the start of the work day, it should have been called a _breakfast_ container.

Tony pounced, hopeful. "Nothing that's _not_ good for you? Ziva, I'm disappointed." He lifted the papaya, as if in hope of finding a gooey donut underneath. Ziva slapped his hand away.

"Oh, GMTA!" Abby exclaimed, coming into the squad room with a bounce, gently tossing a pear from hand to hand. "I'm on a fruit kick this week. The real deal is _so_ much better than fruit-flavored cereal!" She sat in Tim's chair, since he wasn't there yet, and set the pear down on the center of his desk, admiring it.

"Even though you don't get a toy inside?" asked Tony, about to bite into his chocolate chip muffin. "Hey, what'd you bring for breakfast today, Probie?" he called as Tim came in.

"Instant oatmeal," Tim announced, shaking the sleet off his coat as he hung it up. "Just add skim milk and brown sugar, and heat it up, and breakfast is good to go." He smiled in anticipation, and then stepped out to the little break room down the hall to use the microwave. There were still ten minutes before they had to start working.

He returned with a steaming bowl, waved to Abby to stay seated, and stood for a moment at the window as he ate, looking out at the bleak day. Unusually cold for November, it was. The wind raced and bayed around the Navy Yard buildings as cold rain, joined by sleet, battered the windows, demanding entrance. Over the always-on _ZNN_ channel on a screen, reports came in of the unusually fierce weather patterns in much of the northern hemisphere: record snowfall, terrible ice storms, plunging temperatures, sleet even down into southern Florida and Greece. It made the blood pound; anxious, fearful, just to look at the weather map.

_Winter's __coming in too early,_ thought Tim. _Hope we don't get any field calls today!_

The others seemed mostly oblivious to the weather, since they were now inside, warm and dry. Only Tony appeared to look up and frown at the weather when Tim turned, but then Tim realized it was more of a _are-you-sure-you-want-to-be-standing-there-when-Gibbs-comes-in?_ frown. Tim hustled back to his desk.

Gibbs appeared right on the hour, just as Abby got up and Tim sat down. Tony grinned. "And what did you bring for breakfast, boss?"

"Are you still playing that stupid breakfast game?! I brought coffee. I don't _need_ anything else. And when did you people stop eating at home, anyway?" Gibbs thundered. "Abby, don't you have work to do? Don't you _all_ have work to do?!"

"Uh, just getting on it, boss."

"Me, too, Gibbs…"

"Working hard, boss."

Abby looked at Gibbs in surprise; stung by the unexpected attack from her historic supporter. "I, um; I have a meeting with the Director. I just stopped here on my way—" At his hard look, she abandoned her excuse. "I'm going now." So saying, she headed up the stairs, her pear forgotten.

Gibbs settled in at his own desk, feeling but ignoring the looks his team exchanged with each other. _I don't care if they think I'm overly grumpy today._ Not that he _ever_ cared much._ They didn't see that horrific weather-related car accident I saw on the way in…_ He tried to push it out of his mind; the crumpled vehicles, the glass, the blood, the families that would now be mourning. _At least my people all made it in safely._

- - - - -

Not long afterwards, they all looked up as footsteps pounded in from the east and west corridors, and a half dozen people in the dark gray uniforms of NCIS Security tore through the edge of the squad room and up the stairs toward the Director's office.

There had been no alarm, no shouts, no distress call that Gibbs' team had heard, but they weren't about to wait for one. Without a word spoken, they took off after Security.

Cynthia sat with her chair flat to the wall; sheer fright on her face. She saw Gibbs' team, recognized them, but only looked toward the closed door to Jenny's inner office, a warning in her eyes. After ascertaining that Cynthia was unhurt, Gibbs lead his team's charge in.

_"Jethro! Stop_! Don't move; don't make any attempt…" Jenny's voice was commanding; although fear was drifting in it, still the strength of command won out. Gibbs and his team slowly drew back their hands from their gun holsters.

The room was an amazing sight. Not just that the six Security members were all crumpled on the floor; still alive, one hoped. Not just that Jenny and Abby were standing slack-jawed, and struggling not to cower. No, the most incredible…and fearsome…of all was the blonde woman in the center of the room, wearing a high-girded white _chiton_ outfit, an ancient-looking, flowing affair vaguely toga-like, complete with a rich blue _himation_ cape. She was sitting cross-legged, but she was…_floating_about five feet off the floor.

"Now, who are _these_ intruders?" the woman said disdainfully."I do hope this will be the last of them." Her voice carried a faint, unidentifiable accent.

"These are, uh, some of my employees. We call them 'special agents'. They, uh, do the, uh, police work for my agency." said Jenny.

"Do they?" the woman's gray eyes opened a little wider. "Then I have come to the right place, for it is police, or detective work I need. Will you not introduce us, Director Jennifer Shepard?"

Clearly, Jenny's face showed that, given her choice, she would not. But it also showed her fear. Whoever this magical intruder was, she obviously had the power to k-o six Security brutes. One would have to tread lightly here. "Yes, um…Ziva David, Tony DiNozzo, Jethro Gibbs, and Tim McGee. People, this is…I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"My name is Demeter. And I have come a long way, through the ages, searching for people who can help me get my missing daughter back."

Most of the others looked puzzled, but Tim spoke, beating Ziva to it. "Demeter? Your daughter wouldn't happen to be…_Persephone_, would it?" His eyes shown with wonder.

She turned those ocean-gray eyes to him, and they lost just a little of their coldness. "Yes, that is right. So the old tales are still being told in these times, are they? That is good."

Tim turned to the others. "In Greek myth—uh, history," he amended hastily, "the beautiful young goddess, Persephone, was kidnapped by Hades, the god of the underworld, and taken to his kingdom to be his bride. Her mother mounted a rescue effort. But because Persephone ate some pomegranate seeds while there, Hades declared that she would have to spend part of each year there with him."

"And that's why we have fall and winter," Ziva spoke up, finding her voice, while eyeing Demeter with apprehension. "While Persephone is in the underworld, Demeter roams the earth above, mourning, forbidding the plants to grow. When Persephone returns, so does spring."

"It is ever so," said Demeter. "Yet still my daughter is a prisoner for half a year. I have sought help in many lands, in many times. Now I come to you, En-Sea-Eye-Ess," she said the unfamiliar letter sounds slowly, carefully, as if they were words. "_You_ will rescue my beloved little girl."

"Now, wait a second," said Gibbs. "I don't believe in—"

"Watch your tongue, mortal Jethro Gibbs!" Demeter commanded. "'Ere you find it _parted_ from your _mouth_. I understand fully that your little mortal lives' mission concerns sailing men in this time. But _I_ have greater need of you now than does some forlorn ship's crew. _Ha_! By all the power of Zeus, ye shall bow before me ere ye take on one more case. Cast your eyes on the windows! Behold the power of Demeter!"

"We're supposed to believe that a little taste of early winter is your doing?" said Gibbs, over Jenny's soft warning of "_Jethro_!"

Demeter's eyes bore into him as suddenly the rain became snow; huge, invading flakes, sweeping, swirling insanely; the park across the street no longer visible. The snow coated everything, piling up faster than the warmish ground could melt it. There was a loud _CRUNCH!_ as a car skidded off Sicard Street and hit a sign.

Tony closed his gaping jaw. "All right. Let's say we believe you, uh, ma'am. How do we get to the, uh, wherever it is, so we can rescue your daughter?"

"Leave that to me," said the goddess, and closed her eyes as she placed her hands together.

_"Tim! No!"_ Abby cried, and grabbed his arm.

He turned toward her. "Stay back," he said. "It'll be okay." But she didn't let go; her grip tightening even as he tried gently to pull her off.

"It's the _underworld_," she said. "How do you know you'll come back, Tim?"

"I know what I believe in, and what I don't believe in," he said in a whisper. "And I believe—"

Demeter opened one eye, and smirked. With one nod of her head, the center of the room filled with diaphanous light of multicolored specs; a small whirlwind that, when it popped out of existence, left the room intact, but with Demeter gone. Jenny choked to see that it wasn't just Demeter who was gone: so were Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, Tim, and Abby.

And she had no idea, no idea at all, how she could follow them.


	2. The King of the Gods

**Chapter Two:**** The ****King of the ****Gods**

- - - - -

_Spinning, whirling, falling__ through blackness_…not unpleasant, not lasting long…

After a transitory feeling of vertigo and disorientation, the NCIS group regained their sight as they landed with a thud in a meadow. Ziva windmilled her arms and managed to keep her balance as she touched down; the rest clattered ungracefully to the ground. Abby had still been clinging to Tim and so landed partly on top of him. Automatically, he grabbed her by the waist to keep her from falling off heavily and hitting her head, instead letting her roll off gently.

"Man, oh, man," Tony moaned, getting to his feet. "Where _are_ we?" There were no evident features in this land…no skyscrapers, no litter, no contrails in the sky. The air was mild; October-like, in a Washington perspective. But this looked nothing like Washington, or the nearby states. Birds sang sweetly, and the insects were loud. The trees were painted with early fall colors. A curious rabbit poked out its head, with nose wiggling, from some tall grasses, and then retreated.

"_Mortal__!"_

_"Yah!"_ Tony cried, jumping back a step. The white haired, bearded, _chiton__-_clad man, looking 40-ish rather than old, stood close enough before him to be in Tony's personal space. Tony hadn't seen him approach, much less get that close.

"Oh, desist, Zeus," said Dementer, wearily; sounding like she'd said it many times before. "These goodly mortals are here at my pleasure. They shall attempt rescue of our Persephone."

"Yet another party?! How many has this been, Demeter? How many times must you kidnap mortals and lesser gods, and bring them here to satisfy your whims? Our daughter is safe with Hades; it may not be what we wish for, but the deal is an honest one. We should abide by it."

_"I agreed to no deal!"_ The goddess approached him fearlessly, shaking a finger in his face. "And I suspect _you_ were behind this arrangement! Your stench is all over it."

He lifted an eyebrow at her, but neither denied nor admitted to the accusation. "Think you that I want to see the proud earth fall into its own form of death each year? Will you not give over, Demeter? In these matters I cannot control you, for you have governance of the harvest. If winter's dying touch is what pleases you as revenge, then so be it, but do not accuse me of foul play. Your revenge on the planet is far more foul than anything I have created."

"Fortunately, you have not the power to take the harvest, nor the weather that nourishes or dooms it, away from me." She held her ground, smirking at him.

This was all too much to take in. Tim thought he must be dreaming, but he was afraid to think he might _not_ be. He looked to the others; reading their faces. Ziva was following the conversation anxiously, trying to make sense of it…was she a believer, or not? Tony, of course, was still focused on being up-close-and-personal with Zeus; with Demeter only a step away. Abby was agape; her science-worshiping mind seemingly stymied by things that couldn't be measured. Gibbs, definitely, was in the _dis_believer camp, and suddenly took two angry steps toward Zeus.

_No time left to sort out beliefs!_ Tim jumped forward, cutting his boss off. "Honored Zeus, your, uh, Lordship," Tim said, fighting for a steady voice and hoping for inspiration. "We'd be happy to try to rescue your daughter. We've, uh, rescued other people in dire straits." It was either that or watch Gibbs be turned into a hedgehog.

Zeus turned away from Tony and stepped toward Tim. "Are you the spokesperson for your party, mortal?"

"Uh…"

"No, he's not, and calling someone 'mortal' is pretty rude, don't you think?" Abby said suddenly, clutching Tim's arm again.

Angrily, he shook her off. _Don't do that, Abby, unless you want to get us all killed!_ "Your Lordship, Your Ladyship, where was Persephone last seen? Where did she enter the underground? Can you take us there?"

"I hope you know what you're doing, McGee," Gibbs whispered to him.

"Me, too," Tim replied.

Finally, something like interest shown in the gods' eyes. "Let it be so," said Zeus, and a passing doe was startled when the group of seven seemingly winked out of existence.

- - - - -

"It happened here," said Demeter, when, after what seemed like less than a second of blackness, they whirled to a stop on another stretch of ground, closer to mountains. Down the slope an old city gleamed. In another direction, blue water stretched into the distance.

"Mycenae," Zeus said with a pleased wave of his hand toward the city. "There it was that Persephone dwelt with her mother. But here one day, when Persephone was picking flowers, Hades rose up from the underworld and dragged her inside. And there she is said to have wed him. So said Helios, the sun god, who sees all things that happen." He pointed to a cleft in the rocks. "There."

They ringed the cleft. Yes, it was possible, not hard at all, surely, for them to get inside. But what would they find when they got in there?

Tim met Gibbs' eyes, and was glad to finally see the anger and disbelief gone. They were going to have to accept several unlikely things if they were going to get out of this, and they needed, desperately, for Gibbs to maintain the role of leader.

"Your Lordship," Gibbs called across the cleft. "It will be dark soon, and we'll need rest. Can we discuss the situation among ourselves, and present you with a plan in the morning?"

Zeus appeared amused. "I may have better things to do in the morning. You are the oldest of your group, mortal. Are you its leader?"

"Yes, I'm their supervisor," Gibbs replied firmly, his blue eyes meeting Zeus'. "My name is Gibbs."

"Very well, Gibbs. Among other titles, I am the god of kings and leaders. Have you any problems with Demeter, here, you just come to me," he laughed.

Demeter, in response, stepped down hard on Zeus' sandaled foot, causing him to cry out and hop in a circle, threatening to turn her into a field mouse. She didn't appear worried. "Stop whining, Zeus. These people need shelter for the night. You see to that, and I shall provide food."

Grumbling, Zeus nodded, and there appeared a large tent with five sleeping pallets inside, and a table. Demeter put her hands together and blinked, and riches of the harvest appeared on the table, along with a couple amphoras of wine. "Sleep well, mortals. We shall meet again at the cock's crow." A small golden flash, and she was gone.

Zeus lingered a moment, shrugged, and smiled. "_Women_!" he said. Then he too was gone; his flash silvery.

- - - - -

They fell to dinner, ravenous. "Y'know, we shouldn't be this hungry," Tony remarked. "We've been here, what? An hour? Back at NCIS, it's only like 11 a.m. 11:30. Yet it's getting dark here."

"Athens is six hours ahead of Washington," said Ziva. "And of course it would be getting dark here in late afternoon, in autumn."

"But my watch says it's—" Tony did a double take. "5:43? That's impossible! I didn't change it!"

The other four looked at their watches, and found the same thing. "Nice trick," said Abby, "considering that quartz watches don't exist in this time."

Ziva looked serious."Do you think someone is, ah, scamming us? That this is all an illusion; like a mass hypnosis?"

"I think it's real," said Tim. "I think this is deadly serious. Zeus certainly had the power to change our watches if he wanted to. He has a devilish sense of humor…And thanks, Abby, for not saying anything when Gibbs said he was everyone's supervisor."

She sighed. "Believe it or not, I can sometimes tell when my big mouth is going to get me in trouble. You can be my supervisor anytime, Gibbs." She hugged him.

"Thanks, Abby," Gibbs smiled briefly. "McGee—You have a plan?"

Tim swallowed. "I think so, boss. We go into that cleft. Demeter or Zeus can provide us with rope. We stay tethered to each other at all times. We find Hades, and do standard hostage negotiation with him."

"What'll we use for leverage?" Tony asked. "I'll bet all of you are missing your firearms, just like me. And Hades is a _god_! He could turn us into _turnips_!"

"No he can't," said Ziva. "Just because someone is a god, that doesn't give them a vast array of powers. Hades is the master of the underworld. He can prevent the dead from leaving it. And that's about it. As far as I know, he can't transform anything. The worst he could say to us is—"

" 'Die'?" asked Abby.

"No, probably more like, 'Stay here with me,'" said Gibbs. "If we can't talk him into releasing this Persephone, and we can't trick him into doing it, we'll need a fall back plan."

Tim looked around. "We can make an exchange, maybe. Teach him some skills not known in this time."

"Uh…this isn't exactly the Industrial Revolution, Probie," Tony said, reaching for a hunk of bread. "Or can you build Hades a computer out of twigs and rocks?"

"Do you have a better idea?!" Tim retorted.

"Yeah, I do!" Tony snapped. "Standard issue, which you've probably forgotten, McGeek, while you were Googling something. We distract the guy, one of us grabs the girl, and we're outta there. Easy as pie."

"And how do we get home?" asked Ziva.

"Demeter brought us here—she can get us back." Gibbs put in.

Tim nodded, and passed a basket of fruit to Abby, who had cuddled close to him. _She's certainly affectionate now,_ he thought.. _Too bad she doesn't act this way toward me when she isn't scared stiff._

He dismissed that thought, even as he gave in and put an arm around her. The meaning of their relationship could wait. The group _had to_ succeed in Persephone's rescue, or they'd never get back…He put aside that gloomy thought as another back up plan came to mind; one really more NCIS-like.


	3. The Underworld

**Chapter Three: The Underworld**

- - - - -

Tim was up before the sky started graying, long before dawn. "Abby, wake up," he whispered, giving her shoulder a little shake. "I need your help with something."

She was so beautiful, lying there, her black hair every which way. On an impulse, he reached for his cell phone—would it still take pictures here? _Yes, it would!_ He snapped one of her, even knowing that she would probably kill him if she ever found out about it.

Again he nudged her, and this time she stirred. He put a finger to his lips, and beckoned her to follow him. She rose, pushed back her hair, and they quietly went out of the tent.

"Look to the east," Tim said in a low voice, gently grabbing her shoulders and turning her a little, "I need you to look in that, um, southeasterly direction. I'll look northeasterly. I'm looking for someone...most likely in the sky…"

"Who do you seek, lad?"

They jumped at the voice that came from behind them. _Those sneaking-up gods!_ Tim thought, while keeping his face bland. For this handsome, smiling man with sandy hair was surely a god. He had an ethereal beauty about him. "Uh, we're looking for Helios, the sun god. Is that you?"

"I am he, yes. Can I be of assistance, briefly? My time is short, I must attend to my duties." Helios bowed; not mockingly, as Zeus would have done, but kindly. Tim remembered having read that the gods all had different personalities, much like mortals.

"We're looking for information, actually. Did you see Hades pull Persephone into the underworld?"

Helios frowned and looked up and to the right. _He's thinking; not remembering,_ Tim thought.

"I remember this much," Helios said presently. "Persephone was gathering flowers. I could clearly see her; it was midday, and I was nigh on direct overhead. Hades came out of the fissure in the ground. But Persephone did not seem to be unwilling to follow him. She was laughing."

"Did you tell this to her mother, when she asked you?"

"I did. But she did not want to seem to hear it. I must go now, my friends. The sun does not drive itself across the sky, you know!" He sprang to his chariot, and it rose into the air, off to find the drowsing sun. Tim wondered what Helios might have left out, and why.

- - - - -

Tim and Abby went back to wake the rest of the team. They should eat before Demeter arrived; she seemed like a stern taskmistress who might not allow for a break. Over the meal, magically still fresh, Tim and Abby related the conversation with Helios.

"Arise, my mortals," Demeter said cheerfully as she came in; appearing much like she had the previous day, but with a scarlet _himation _cape. "Today is the day you shall liberate my daughter! I am so glad I could sing!"

"We need supplies," said Gibbs. "Ropes. Candles and, uh, fire to light them."

"I had expected as much, and these I have brought," the goddess said. She blinked, and the materials were in her arms. "Fire you must obtain in the underworld; it is not mine to command. However, I have heard that there it is light enough that candles you may not need."

Tony stopped from coiling a rope. "You haven't been down there? To visit your daughter?"

"Nay, gods can only enter the underworld with Hades' permission. He has not given me that boon."

_She looks so wistful,_ Tim thought. _I wonder if we could negotiate visiting rights for her with Hades. That might go a long way…_

"All right, let's get on this," said Gibbs. "Abby, I'd suggest you come with us. I don't think our group should split up at any point." Seeing her nod, he brought her into the rope chain. It was decided that Tim would be in the lead, as he had the most mythological knowledge. Ziva would follow him, then Gibbs and Abby, with Tony bringing up the rear.

For a long moment they all stood at the edge of the cleft, reluctant to take that next big step into a different world. Tim took a deep breath. "Let's go," he said.

Gibbs held him up. To Demeter he said, "How will we find you again, once we have your daughter?"

"I will find you. I shall know when Persephone is free."

"I'll bet you will," he said under his breath, and signaled Tim to start the climb in.

- - - - -

A gravelly path lead down from the surface of the earth. They had not gone more than about 30 feet, they believed, when the path leveled off and there was a noticeable change in the air. Looking back up, the pleasant blue sky was no longer visible; replaced by a dark fog. "I'll mark this spot," Abby said, pulling out a tube of lipstick. She made a mark on a rock at eyelevel.

The air bore a faint sheen of unpleasant smells; things decaying, perhaps; or once set in decay and forever more locked in there. It wasn't overwhelming, though, it was at the level of a room closed to fresh air for too long. The better-worn way of the trail headed right, so they took that.

As Demeter had predicted, there was more than sufficient light…though natural it wasn't. The rock-faced tunnel must have had light shining through the rock, or else the very air carried light magically.

Gibbs halted them. "McGee. What's the layout of this place? What do we need to know?"

Tim thought. "Well, the dead would enter the underworld by crossing over the river Acheron with the help of the ferryman, Charon. But we're not dead, and neither was Persephone. So I don't know…The underworld is divided into a couple of sections. The Elysian Fields is like the Christian concept of heaven, and Tartarus, like hell, although there are disputing accounts."

"How do we find Hades?"

"Well, he _is_ a god, so I think he might be—"

"Right here?" said the black-bearded man who appeared, suddenly, at Tim's elbow.

- - - - -

They were under his power now. Any attempt to move back the way they came was impossible; their bodies just would not turn that way.

"It is not often that mortals willingly come to see me," he said, his dark eyes dancing. "I can only guess: that tiresome Demeter has sent you here to _rescue_—" he threw his arms wide and laughed. "—her precious Persephone. Many others have attempted, but none have succeeded. Follow me."

He lead them on a long walk, during which the air became fouler. Signs of the horrors of death soon were visible. Off to one side there was a bay of skulls; eye sockets black and pleading. Limbs scattered here and there, some appearing to have been gnawed upon. They heard indistinct wails, which may have been of tormented souls, crying out for help, for pity, for solace that would never come. _If Hades __is__ trying to unnerve us, he's succeeding,_ Tim thought.

At one point a small squad crossed their path; underworld police, perhaps. Their eyes were ghostly and it wasn't apparent whether they were alive or not. The squad ignored the outsiders, and Hades paid no attention to them. Silently the squad went by and disappeared through a rock wall which then sported a sickly yellow-green ooze. Shreiks suddenly sliced the air, cut off just as suddenly by the sound of iron battering something soft. _Sometimes what you_ can't see _hurts your mind more than what you_ can see, thought Ziva.

After awhile they reached a destination. Hades lead them into a chamber like a parlor, and they were allowed to sit on comfortable cushions. The chamber was decorated gaily with colored cloths and dried flowers, and the air was sweet like spring blossoms. Here the lighting was supplemented by flickering torches in wall sconces.

"Now shall you hear it for yourselves," said Hades, stretching and taking a flask of something. _"Persephone, my sweet!"_ he called.

She winked into existence before them; a beautiful young woman with warm brown hair and gray eyes like her mother. "Yes, my husband? Oh, visitors! How nice!" she smiled.

"More of the same, Persephone, I'm afraid."

"Oh, no! How is it that my mother gets _anyone_ to listen to her?!" Persephone sat down, close to Hades.

"You don't want to leave," Tony guessed.

"Not at all. I came here willingly, and I am very much in love with Hades," she said.

Tim, however, thought he saw a flicker of doubt pass through her eyes ever so quickly. "Wouldn't you ever consider going to visit your mother during the time you're down here? She misses you so much."

She glanced at her husband. "I—I do not know how feasible that would be. It is a great effort for a god to enter, or to leave, the underworld. I am sure that my six months of the year with Mother is fair enough."

Hades placed a hand on her shoulder fondly while he addressed the others. "Consider you this: Persephone's presence here gives the growing world above a time to rest and recover after the harvest. Before, we demanded too much of our plants, urging them to produce all the year. Now, though winter may seem harsh, it brings them needed sleep, producing ever stronger growth in the spring. And all because Demeter does her little act," he grinned. "Would that continue if Persephone abandoned me, and Demeter had no cause to mourn?"

He leaned closer to them. "Just how much do you want to disturb this, the now 'natural order' of things, hmm?"

Persephone smiled softly. "I secretly think that Mother thinks so now, too. Were I to leave here, she would probably keep the autumn and the winter."

"If you were to leave—! But you said you'd always stay by me, my love!" cried Hades.

"Yes, I did. But you tricked me at first, my husband," she grinned, tickling him. "You lured me into eating the fruit of the dead that bound me here until such time as you decided to free me."

"A simple plan, but effective," he agreed, kissing her forehead.

Tim felt still on alert, waiting anxiously to see what the gods would do with them. Seeds. Stupid seeds. Foolish Persephone. More foolish them, for getting stuck in here. How could they get Persephone out, if they weren't free to move themselves? And was she telling the truth when she said she wanted to stay? If they could get free, what would Demeter do to them if they returned empty-handed? Though surely Hades would see that there was no reason to make them stay, and would set them free…

He was about to reach for Abby's hand for comfort, when he saw her quietly munching a piece of fruit obtained, likely, from a nearby golden bowl. She licked the pomegranate juice that ran down her arm.

"Oh, _Abby_!" he cried in terror, getting the others' attention. _"What have you done??!!"_


	4. Freeing Abby

**Chapter Four: ****Freeing Abby**

- - - - -

A brief, shocked silence fell as Abby dropped the pomegranate and wept loudly.

Gibbs beat Tim to her, and held her close. "I still don't half believe in this stuff," he said to her. "You're not a goddess. Their rules don't apply to you. You're going home."

"On the contrary," Hades said. "Did you think that the underworld is peopled merely by gods? I have mortals here, aplenty. I could easily have chosen a mortal to be my queen, but it was Persophone who held my heart in her hand. And now, dear wife, do you choose to leave me and return to your mother? You have the out, now that another has eaten of the fruit of the dead."

The goddess looked at him, her face showing both pleasure and regret. "Dear husband, I have enjoyed these many years at your side. And I shall always love you. But…I have long missed my freedom. I must needs say farewell to you. Perhaps I shall visit, now and again. And you are always welcome to visit me."

Hades tried to smile, but couldn't. He then harrumphed, and turned his attention back to Abby. "So, my ebon-haired sweet. What be you called, hmm?" He put a hand under her chin, ignoring the flinch.

"Her name is none of your business!" Tony said fiercely. "You have no right to hold her against her will."

_"Silence!"_ Hades made a small motion with his hand, and Tony dropped to the floor, unconscious.

_"Stop!"_ Abby cried to Hades, as Ziva and Tim scrambled to attend to Tony. "Don't hurt my friends! My—my name is Abby." She dissolved into tears once again.

"Abby. So then, my Abby, why the tears? You are such a comely one, and I am not half bad to look at, as Persephone has often told me. I make a kind and gentle spouse, and you shall have all the riches and glories associated with being my queen."

Hades moved closer to her, and Gibbs, reluctantly, released her. "You seem to already be enchanted with the dead. I see the tattoos and other symbols on you. Are you playing with me, dear one? Has it always been your desire to come to the underworld? Mayhaps at last I have found my true love."

"No, no," Abby sniffled. "It's all for fun. I don't really worship death. I'm a good, church-going woman. This is just a style people wear…_please_…"

"Well, I am off, then, Hades," said Persephone, giving him a quick kiss. "I shall just pack a few things and then be gone. Mortals? Would you like me to show you the way back to the surface?"

Hades raised his eyebrows at their questioning looks. "The rest of you are free to go. I have no need of you here."

"Well, our business isn't done here," Gibbs snapped. "We're not going home without Abby."

"I do not believe that you are in a position to order me about, mortal," Hades said with dark humor. "But you concern me not. Come or go as you please. Mind the undead who are missing limbs. They may try to take yours." He laughed and laughed at his own joke.

Tony was sitting up now, though looking a little dazed still. Tim beckoned to Gibbs and Abby, and the five of them huddled. "I have an idea," said Tim. "Someone who might be able to help. But we need to get out, and get to the sea."

'Tim, don't leave me_! I beg you!!"_

"I'll stay with you, Abby," said Ziva, and looked at the men. "You can do without me?"

"I think three of us will be fine," said Tim. "We'll be back as soon as possible." He looked at his watch, still perfectly keeping myth-time. "11 a.m., more or less. Good. There's Persephone; let's follow her out."

He paused only long enough to give Abby a last hug. "I'll never abandon you. Ever."

- - - -

Persephone lead them through a different set of paths. On one side, a path lead to a wondrous, shining meadow, where the sun shone, birds sang, and animals scampered. People sat around in idle contentment, eating, drinking, and laughing. This was, evidently, the Elysian Fields; the heaven. "It's so beautiful," Tony murmured, and stepped forward. Gibbs grabbed him and marched him back onto the path.

Further down, a hideous stench filled the air, and they came to a Charnel pit. They thought they had seen all matters of death in their job, but this was beyond their experiences. There were bodies, all manner and number of bodies, rotting, maggot-ridden, blood still magically flowing, moving; eyes vacant, eyes wandering, eyes on stalks dangling; limbs and organs torn, crushed, mangled; a hellish mockery of life. Scavengers ripped and tore into flesh; their eyes glowing red with the depths of hell itself.

It was hard to move on; the scene was so terrifying. Only seeing Persephone disappearing into the distance got Gibbs moving again; he grabbed Tony and Tim by the arms and pulled them along.

More scenes of destruction and horror were scenes along the way: Scenes of torture, dismemberment, hangings, beheadings. Tim closed his eyes. _Persephone is doing this deliberately,_ he decided._ We didn't pass anything like this on the way in. She's trying to discourage us from coming back. Why? Is there, maybe, a way to get Abby out that we haven't thought of yet?_

At last the air started to freshen, and the path sloped upward. Stumbling up a little loose gravel, they came out into noonday sun. The air had never smelled so sweet; and they inhaled great lungfuls.

_"Persephone!!" "Mother!!"_ The young woman jumped into her mother's arms, and they spun around, laughing. They then left, winking out in a violet flash, ignoring the team's protests to stop.

Tim had hoped that Demeter would offer them whatever help she could out of gratitude, but clearly that was not her intention. They were on their own. "To the water," Tim said, pointing to the sea. "Not all the gods are land-based."

- - - - -

"Poseidon is the god of the sea," Tim explained as they stood on a cliff overlooking the sea. "He is the brother of Zeus and Hades; each of which has governance over part of the earth. Since Hades' powers aren't greater than Poseidon's, Poseidon may be able to help us."

"If we throw Navy sympathies on him," Gibbs nodded. "How do we reach him?"

Tim grimaced. "Let me try this. _Oh, mighty Poseidon!"_ he called.

For a moment there was nothing, but then the water below rumbled and boiled, and then a great translucent shape made of the water, 60 feet high, Poseidon himself, trident in hand, rose out of the water, reaching to above the cliff top. "Who summons Poseidon?!" he thundered.

The three men exchanged glances. "You're the best actor," Tim hissed to Tony. "You do it."

Tony took a deep breath, and then a step forward. "Your highness, we work with sailors, and we seek your aide. Your brother, Hades, is holding prisoner one of our own. We beg you to help us rescue her."

"A woman?" Poseidon asked, his voice a rumble like a waterfall. "Has then Hades' and Persephone's marriage fallen apart?"

"Well…maybe. Situation is unclear. But Persephone definitely wanted to return to her mother, and has done this. So Hades is picking on our friend instead."

"That is _unconscionable_! I cannot permit such abuse of a mere mortal!" Poseidon rose even higher, splashing them. "There were no catches; no conditions..?"

"Um, well, our friend did eat some pomegranate seeds, if that's relevant. But she didn't realize the meaning at that time…so no one with any pity should hold that against her…"

Poseidon sank down to cliff level. "Ah, that is another matter, then. I am sorry, sailing men. Had she not eaten of the fruit of the dead, mayhaps I could help you. But that fruit is tied to Hades and the underworld; those who feed on it are Hades' to direct. It has ever been so. May you find another way to free her." With a great splash he collapsed back into the sea, and was gone.

The three men sighed. Tim looked up and saw that the sun had disappeared behind clouds. _What have we got to lose?_ "Helios!" he called. "I need to talk to you! Please!"

The light shimmered before them, and the friendly-faced god appeared. "Hello, again, lad. What can I do for you?"

"We need information," said Tim. "When you saw Persephone initially go into the underworld with Hades, was her mother, Demeter, anywhere about?"

Demeter pursed his lips. "Do not the legends say that Demeter wandered about, looking for answers, and then finally asked me if I had seen anything? And I acknowledged I had. And that much I have told you."

"Yes, but that's not quite what I asked. _Was Demeter around when Persephone was taken underground?"_

Helios smiled ruefully. "You are perceptive, lad. Yes, I believe Demeter saw at least part of the event happening."

"And what did you make of that?"

"That she was waiting to see if Persephone would come to her senses before making a stink about it. That way there would be no scandal."

"Persephone has now left Hades and returned to her mother. Will that increase the scandal?"

Helios raised an eyebrow, and hesitated. "Has Hades taken a new consort, then? That is the only reason I can think that he would agree to Persephone's freedom."

"Unfortunately, yes. A mortal friend of ours. She was with me this morning when you and I talked."

"Ah, that lovely lass. I am sorry, lad. She is now at Hades' whim. None of us gods have the power to rule over him."

This was the news they'd hoped they wouldn't hear. "Thanks, Helios," Tim said, and they watched him zoom back into the sky and popped into a small star shape that faded from sight.

- - - - -

Tim, Gibbs and Tony sat under a tree, eating apples. "There's a way," Tony said. "There's _got_ to be a way! Boss—McGee—come on! This is _Abby_ we're talking about!"

"Thinking, Tony; thinking…" Tim sighed. And he was, but was only coming up with vague ideas. "We don't have a time limit, do we? And how do we get in touch with Demeter, to get us back home?"

Gibbs looked thoughtful. "I've noticed that the gods seem to come when called. Demeter would probably do the same. And while she's capricious, I'm betting she would honor the need to return us to our time, once we have Abby back."

"The longer we wait, the less chance we have to change Hades' mind," said Tony.

Gibbs nodded. "And I don't want to leave Abby and Ziva there alone if we don't have to. Let's start back, and work on ideas as we walk."

- - - - -

It had been about two miles from the entrance to the underworld to the sea. The scenery was pleasant, but all scarcely noticed it, so deep in thought they were. Tim entertained and rejected items, but some kept coming back to him, much as he was displeased with them.

They found the cleft by which they had entered in the morning, and went in that way. It almost hurt the heart to have to breathe again the foul air. _But Abby hasn't had a chance to breathe in any fresh air, like we have,_ Tim thought, with guilt. _We can't leave her here…_

Abby, Ziva and Hades were where they'd left them. Ziva's face looked pinched, for she could see in their faces right away that they'd had no success.

Gibbs sighed. "Your lordship, can I appeal to your better nature? Abby is a mortal, unused to how gods live. You would kill her spirit by keeping her here against her will. Please…let her go."

"An interesting plan, mortal, but how do _I_ benefit from that plan? I would be without a companion."

"But there are…there must be many goddesses you could choose from," said Tony. "Any number of companions."

Hades grimaced. "Ah, but think of all the work that would be…auditioning goddesses for the role of queen of the underworld." He smiled briefly, then frowned again. "No. I rather like _this_ one; skull jewelry and all."

Tim studied Abby's downturned, tear-stained face. How lovely it was; those beautiful eyes, that cute nose…life without her was unimaginable. _NCIS_ without her was unimaginable…

"Hades," Tim said suddenly, "Have you ever thought of extending this wall here; making this area a little more convenient to that path we came down?"

"Well, from time to time, yes, but that is a lot of work. I have tried it before only to have the roof collapse."

"How about improving the ventilation in this place?"

"I would like to do that, too. I have a large wish list, mortal."

"There are solutions to that, your lordship. There is even a way to grow plants underground, given the right light and conditions."

"Fresh food! That would be astounding!"

Tim felt his throat tighten. "I can show you how to do all that. And more. Just release Abby, and keep me instead."

"_TIM! NO!!!"  
__"NO, PROBIE!!"  
__"MCGEE, DON'T!!"_

Hades grinned. "Someone who can solve some of my structural problems! That would be princely! Compared to that, finding a consort from among the goddesses is trivial. You have a deal, mortal!"

Tim just had time to grab Abby's hands. "I love you, Abby! Don't forget me." He gave her a quick kiss, and wiped her tears. "I love you," he said again, in a whisper.

There was a blue flash; rocking with energy. Tim and Hades were gone. Another flash, and Gibbs, Tony, Ziva and Abby found themselves above ground, and the cleft in the rocks was sealed up. Demeter appeared before them. "And now you must return to your own time, mortals." Before they could object, she had whisked them away, far away, from ancient Greece.


	5. Four Months Later

**Chapter**** Five: Four Months Later**

- - - - -

_March 20, 2008_

Two days ago, on the 18th of March, two inches of snow had fallen on Washington D.C. Yesterday, the skies cleared a little before clouds crawled back in, dropping a little sleet.

Last night, after 7, the clouds had parted again. Late commuters recognized the weather pattern: a return to cold, maybe some melting. And that was indeed the forecast.

But something happened: By 9 p.m., the cold gave way and temperatures started to rise. At 11 p.m. it was 51 degrees, and the snow and ice were vanishing quickly. The TV meteorologists were flummoxed, and guessed a new high of 62 degrees for the next day.

Gibbs' team at NCIS had not left for the day. They didn't bother making excuses, and after awhile, long off the clock, stopped trying to convince each other to go home.

Abby was there, too, and joined the others in the squad room, where she, Ziva and Tony sat playing cards at Ziva's desk. Ducky, likewise, was there, chatting and drinking coffee with Gibbs. Even the Director had not yet gone home. She had come by once, around 10:30, to say, "Security will call me first thing, when it happens," before retreating to her office.

When the clock hit midnight, and the day rolled over to the 20th, Abby pressed her hands together in glee. "One hour and 48 minutes to go…"

As kindly as he could muster, Tony said, "Abbs, it's only a theory. We have no evidence for it."

"I know," she said. "But it'll happen. Wait and see." She was wound so tightly she could hardly make herself sit still. _It __has__ been so long…_

"You don't _know_ that," he said, in minor irritation. He was torn: he wanted to be able to agree with her. But if she was proved wrong, he didn't want to see the sad results. She wouldn't be able to bear it. _I might not be able to bear it, either…_

_I learned to accept it when we lost Kate. I can learn to accept this, too…_

"But I _do_ know it," she replied. "In here." She put her hand on her heart. "I _know_…"

"I thought you were a _scientist_," Tony snapped back.

"Of course she is," said Gibbs. "She just listens to her heart."

They all reflected on this. Ziva called up the current outside temperature on her computer._ 60 degrees!_ This was definitely not normal. She rose and got another cup of coffee. Jenny had kindly loaned her good coffee service set to them, and they kept draining it. No one, not one of them, could bear the idea of falling asleep now.

At 1:20 a.m. Jenny left her office and came down to sit with them. "I told security to call me on my cell instead of the landline," she said, "assuming the main entrance is used." It was nice that the big boss wanted to wait this out with them.

The outcome just _had to be_ good, though…

_1:31 a.m._ Gibbs felt the need to dampen down the feeling of giddiness he felt in the others. "People, realize that even if this does come off, the squad room might not be the place."

"It'll be the place," Abby said with a firm nod of her head.

"Abby—"

"I mean, where else would he go? He _loves_ us."

"He loves _you_," Ziva teased, and Abby got a little flustered and giggly.

"Abby, just consider he might have other priorities. He might go to his parents', for example—" Gibbs felt he had to get through to her; make her see balance…

"Well, that would be just plain wrong, since they're here."

"They're _here?!"_

Jenny nodded. "At the Marriott by the Navy Yard Metro stop. I made the arrangements myself. They said to call if…when…"

_1:37 a.m._ Tony rose and walked to the window. The lights around the Navy Yard glowed yellow, welcoming, as did those on the _Barry_, and the dots of lights across the Anacostia. He realized how lucky, how very lucky he was to have no greater trial in his life than to choose which shirt to put on in the morning. Still, there was this anticipation…and, since he couldn't tell if it was a good anticipation or a bad anticipation, it hurt…

_What if we're all wrong?_

Ducky said softly to Gibbs, "It took me awhile, I admit, but I've finally realized why everyone's here. It's not just for _that_. It's because each one wants to be here for everyone else, in case…"

"It'll happen," Gibbs surprised him by saying. "Abby's faith has rubbed off on me."

"Jethro! You?!"

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at him. "If you were a force of nature, would you dare cross Abby?"

"Well…when you put it that way…"

_1:47 a.m._ Some of the group began a quiet countdown. Gibbs saw their lips moving. Jenny looked like she might be praying.

_1:48 a.m._ They all tensed where they sat…and…_nothing_.

_1:49 a.m._ Abby was in tears, inconsolable. All her hopes, her dreams were shattered, as was her heart. She had been so sure…she'd _known_…

_1:49.27 a.m._ In the space nearly central to Gibbs' team's desks, the air warmed, then shimmered with a whirl of multicolored particles. They heard the air whiffle, barely audibly, with music; pipes and flutes. "Look!!" cried Jenny, the first to notice. They all rose and stared at the sight, gaping.

Then there came a small outward push of air, and suddenly, there he was, seated cross-legged before them, about 5 feet off the ground, just as Demeter had done back in November. He opened his eyes and grinned on seeing everyone.

_"TIM!!!!"_ Abby's delighted scream was enough to almost puncture eardrums throughout the Navy Yard. She ran forward even as he turned off whatever spell permitted the levitation, and dropped softly to the ground. _"TIM!!!_!! Oh, thank God. You're back!! You're back!! _You're back!__"_

She hugged him, kissed him, wanted him all to herself, but of course this was not going to happen, since everyone else was surrounding him, wanting to touch him, talk to him, be acknowledged by him.

_Tim McGee was back._

"You're late!" Abby scolded, gently. "Spring, the vernal equinox, began at 1:48 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. You were almost _a minute and a half late!_ What's your excuse, buster? And it better be good!!" All for show; she only wanted to hold him and never let him go.

He grinned, that warm, guile-free, McGee grin. "I'm still new at long-distance time travel. I got a little lost. But Demeter and Helios are great teachers, so I wasn't too far off."

Tony punched him in the arm playfully. "Hey, where can I get a dress like yours, Probie?" Then he looked a trifle abashed. Was 'Probie' the right thing to say to Tim anymore?

But Tim only smiled and looked down at his snowy white _chiton_ and matching _himation_ "You know this is a unisex outfit, Tony. Do you think you're man enough to carry it off?" They both laughed. "Well, Greece is a little warmer than Washington. I hope I still have a spare set of clothes here at NCIS? You just don't know how much you miss a button-down shirt until you don't have one to wear."

To Gibbs, Tim outwards looked like the Tim they'd all known —he'd swear Tim's hair hadn't grown even a bit, and maybe it hadn't— but now and then there was a flicker in his eye of something else: something older, tempered in other ways; perhaps even beyond the knowledge of mere mortals…

Tim removed the circlet he wore, the headband of golden leaves, and set it on his desk, then looked up at the others, a question in his eyes. "Uh, do I still have my job? Because I _want_ to work…"

Jenny smiled warmly. "You still have your job. We had to do a lot of fudging to set you up on extended leave, but you're back on the books as of normal start time today."

"Thanks, Director!" He laughed and ran a hand through his hair, giddy as the rest of them. "Man, I have a list of things I need to do! I need to recertify in firearms…I feel really rusty there. I need to call my parents!"

Abby squeezed his hand. "They're here in town."

"They're here?!"

"I convinced them you'd come back here. I've been on the phone with them over 100 times, Tim. Every day since you were gone! I feel like I know them now."

"You must! That's more than _I_ ever called them! If that's the case, you've got to come see them with me."

She squeezed his hand. "I'd like that."

He gazed fondly at his desk. _Someone_ had kept it dusted: the cleaning crew, or his friends? "I'm so glad to see this place again…every stray paperclip, my Slinky, the lower right drawer that doesn't close right…My cell phone charger! The battery ran down long ago. Not that I could call anyone, you know." He didn't add that the battery had run down because he'd kept turning his phone on, looking at the picture he'd taken of Abby, asleep.

Abby laughed. "Well, it's all yours again, forever and ever! And you'll never be away from us again; that's what matters! We'll put this nightmare behind us."

A wave of cold water seemed to flow over him, and he stroked her hand. "Abby…"

"What?" Something in his tone, his movement, frightened her.

He met her eyes, his green to hers. "Abby, I'm not…on September 22, at 12:44 Eastern Daylight Time…"

_"No…"_

"Abby, I have to. I thought you understood that, since you figured out I'd return here at the start of spring…"

"No! _NO!!!_ Tim, you're not a _god_! You're _mortal_! _You can't—_"

He took her face in his hands, tenderly. "Abby, that was the agreement I made with Hades. Six months in the underworld, and six months here, every year, as Persephone had done. If I don't, the seasons would get out of balance, and crops wouldn't grow right. Demeter's spell had been in place for too long. It can't be altered now without global destruction. Someone has to mark time in the underworld."

"But next spring?" Ziva ventured.

"Next spring I'll be back. On the dot, this time!"

Abby still felt as if her heart had been ripped out and unevenly restitched in her chest. This was not the outcome she'd hoped for. "Well, well, you'd better," she faltered, trying to be brave, and wiping her tears. "Come on, you! Change into your street clothes, and let's go wake up your parents!"

"They don't do middle-of-the-night well. Let's wait until daybreak."

"Fine," she said, taking his arm again. "In the meantime, I'll drive you home. Well, to my place. Don't make me drive all the way to Silver Spring and back to my place at this hour."

He grinned. "Sounds good."

The others were yawning. "Ohhh," moaned Tony. "Do I go home for about three hours of sleep, or sack out here?"

"You all can take half a day admin leave," said Jenny. "Just be in by noon."

"Thanks, Director!" They started to pull on coats, then thought better of it, considering the temperature, and carried the coats.

Gibbs studied Tim, who still had Abby clinging to him. _Maybe something good has come out of all this._ He had a million questions, but they could all wait. They had Tim for the next six months, after all.

- END -


End file.
